Saturday, May 28, 2016

Improving hurricane forecasts means testing historical storms with today's sophisticated models and supercomputers. NASA and NOAA work together in gathering ground and satellite observations, as well as experimenting with research forecast models.

As a result of this collaboration, model resolution has increased, and scientists are discovering more about the processes that occur within these powerful storms. The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission is a joint NASA and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) mission that measures all forms of precipitation around the globe. GPMs Microwave Imager, or GMI, has proven useful in seeing beneath the swirling clouds and into the structure of tropical cyclones.

The information gathered by GPM and other missions will be used to improve forecast models.